Jack and Eve
by cantstoptubing
Summary: This story is from last summer, before Eve was revealed as the killer.  It's about her relationship with Jack, as well as Henry and Maddie, and, of course, EVIL Louis. AU from last summer.
1. Chapter 1

The first scene of this story was from the actual show last summer, before Eve became the killer (weird, but whatever). But the emotions behind it are a little different…Anyway, this continues from then, so anything that has happened since then on the show, uhh, hasn't.

CHAPTER 1

"So why do you think Maddie is afraid of your husband?" Officer Jack Snyder asked the woman sitting across from him. It may have been a conflict of interest, but he had grown to enjoy Eve's company, whether or not her younger sister was the main suspect in an ongoing murder investigation.

"I didn't say that," Eve responded, shaking her head violently. "At-at least, I didn't mean to."

"You just said you can't even mention Louis' name without Maddie getting upset. Why?" Eve just stared at him. Jack paused, expecting a reply. When none came, he prompted again. "Eve—" Still nothing. "Look, we can drop this if you want, but if Maddie's involved in another incident—"

"I guess the detective's back," Eve interrupted, finally springing back to life. She pushed back her chair as if to leave.

"If something's going on with your sister," Jack began, reaching out to take her hand and pulling back at her quick move away from him, "you can't ignore it or tell it to go away, you know?" Eve settled back in her seat. "Don't you want to help your sister?"

"You sound like Louis," Eve sighed, "except you're being kind. When he says it—" her voice faded. Ever since she and Louis had gotten married, and maybe even before, he had expressed very strong views on how she was raising her sister. She appreciated it on one level; she was young and had never really had role models to show her how to properly raise a young girl—if her parents had been at all like that, she wouldn't have had custody of Maddie in the first place—but sometimes Louis was downright cruel in correcting her parenting skills. Sometimes it felt like he would've preferred if she hadn't been there at all.

"What?" Jack shook Eve out of her thoughts.

Eve looked at Jack and proceeded. "Louis and I have a complicated marriage. I mean, maybe they all are…"

"There's no maybe about it," Jack joked, but Eve barely noticed.

"But, whatever problems _we_ had, Louis was always so warm and paternal with Maddie. In fact, seeing him with her I always thought he'd make a really good father."

"Thought. Past tense," Jack observed.

"Ever since we got here, Louis has been," she searched for the right word, "strange. He came down so hard on Maddie's boyfriend, and he's been overbearing with Maddie, and last night he even got violent with Henry."

At the mention of Eve's brother, with whom Jack had never gotten along, Jack's eyes narrowed. But, as annoying as Henry was, he wasn't a violent man. "What did he do?"

Eve looked closer at Jack, and her voice lowered. "You know how I told you that Maddie is afraid of Louis?" She was speaking so quietly that Jack had to strain to hear her. "She's not the only one." Before Eve could stop it, the next sentence tumbled from her lips. "I am, too." Jack's eyes changed instantly from that of friendly concern to profession inquiry, and Eve realized what she had let herself say. Immediately backpedaling, she started to speak again. "I should have seen—We have all been in a state of reaction, and I am singling Louis out, and we have all been reeling and-and not acting like ourselves, and I'm the one who asked him to deal with Maddie when she is clearly out of control, and, I mean, this has got to be a really frustrating time for Louis, and…"

Jack interrupted her rambling. "Okay, so you were wrong. You're not a bit worried about Louis?"

"I—I really shouldn't have said anything," Eve mumbled, looking down at her hands.

"We both know you had to." An uncomfortable silence fell between them. There was so much Jack wanted to know, but he felt that now wasn't the time to push her. "I just have one more question."

"What?" Eve's voice sounded tired.

"It's one thing to tell your pal Jack that you're afraid of your husband, but it's a whole other thing to tell Detective Snyder. Who do you want me to be here, Eve?"

Eve's eyes clouded in worry. "I was starting to think of you as just Jack, like you said I should—" the pitch in her voice raised, and Jack interrupted to calm her down.

"Okay. Okay."

"And nothing I told you means that Maddie did anything," she insisted, referring to the homicide investigation.

"You're right, you're right," Jack agreed, "which is why I don't have to put my detective hat on. Maddie being afraid of Louis—or not—isn't a crime. Louis acting weird isn't a crime. Your being worried…"

"Thank you," Eve said, sighing with relief.

"Unless someone's safety is at stake. If that's the case…"

"No! No," Eve struggled to keep her voice calm. "Nothing I told you means anything, really, about the case or anything else."

"Okay, I just want to make sure in case there's something else you wanted to tell me about what's happening."

"No, there's-there's nothing. But I understand if you want me to stop reaching out to you. If it makes you feel uncomfortable—"

Jack shook his head and reached for Eve's hand. This time, she accepted it gratefully. "Not at all," he assured. "I'm fine with it, believe me. In fact, I could use a friend myself. Okay?"

"Okay," Eve said unconvincingly. With his other hand, Jack rubbed her arm supportively. "Thank you," she whispered.

Louis watched them from the other side of the room. He saw the man touch his wife's arm, and he saw how he looked at her. His fists clenched. Who did this guy think he was? If Eve wasn't going to stop him, he'd have to do it himself, Louis decided.

"Well, thanks for listening." Eve finally felt calmer. She didn't know what she would've done without him these past few weeks.

"That's what friends are for," Jack shrugged. "And I've been happy to have the distraction." Eve laughed as Jack made a funny face and shoved him lightly from across the table. "Same time tomorrow?"

"My wife will be busy tomorrow," Louis cut in, approaching the table and placing his hand tightly on the back of Eve's neck. With his other hand, he gripped her elbow and assisted her in standing.

"Louis!" Eve cried in surprise. "Louis, this-this is Ja—Officer Snyder. He was just giving me advice on what to do about Maddie. Officer, this is my husband." Eve's voice had gone up, Jack noticed, and she had called him Officer Snyder for the first time since they had met.

"Louis, it's a pleasure to—" Jack began, extending his hand.

"Thank you, Officer," Louis interrupted, pulling Eve closer to him. "I will take care of my wife from here on out." Eve smiled apologetically at Jack as Louis hurried her out of the room.

Jack heard Louis' voice muttering angrily as the husband and wife left the room.

LATER THAT DAY...

"Eve," Jack answered the phone happily. "I was worried about you."

Eve laughed uncomfortably. "No need," she assured. "I was just calling to see if you'd be willing to move coffee tomorrow. Maybe to Java?"

"You don't want your husband to run into us again," Jack suggested, trying hard to keep his voice light.

"If it's a problem—"

"No, Eve. No. It's fine. Still 10:00?"

"Perfect." Jack could almost here the smile in her voice. "Oh, and-and Louis wanted me to apologize for him. About before—"

"Don't worry about it," Jack insisted, sure that Louis had nothing to do with this apology.

"No, really, he has just been really stressed out, like I said before. He didn't know who you were, and he got worried. You can't trust me to find my way out of a paper bag, much less keep myself out of trouble," she repeated insults she had heard hundreds of times. "He was just looking out for me."

Jack couldn't listen to his friend talk about herself that way. "Really, no problem. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Don't be late," she laughed.

"Never."

FIN part 1

So, yeah, that's the beginning…I hope it doesn't suck :) .


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

It was 10:30 and Eve still hadn't shown up. Jack was beginning to get worried. He called her cell phone again, but her voicemail picked up immediately. Throwing down some money on the table, he left to go to her house. "Hey, Eve, it's me. Where are you? Call me as soon as you get this."

Fifteen minutes later, Eve's younger sister, Maddie, was answering the front door of their home. "Officer Snyder," she observed worriedly.

"Hello, Maddie," he said warmly. "I was looking for your sister. We had a coffee date."

Maddie quickly showed him in and closed the door. "Man, are you lucky Louis isn't here. He was so pissed about you two sneaking around behind his back."

"Is Eve here?" he asked, becoming more worried.

"Yeah, but she has a killer migraine. I'm supposed to leave her alone."

"Does she need anything?" Jack was beginning to feel calmer.

"Louis didn't say she did. He just told me to leave her alone." At the mention of Eve's husband's name, Jack anxiety increased again. "He even locked to door to their room so I wouldn't bug her with anything." Maddie laughed lightly, but Jack was beginning to get a bad feeling.

"So, you haven't seen Eve since when?"

"Last night." Maddie could sense the worry in Jack's voice. "But-but she has a migraine, that's all. Louis didn't hurt her or anything." Jack found it curious that Maddie suddenly felt the need to defend that particular conclusion. Making her way up the stairs, the teenager continued. "Eve gets migraines all the time. Sometimes, Louis won't let me see her for days while she's recuperating from them." At that revelation, Jack raced ahead of her. He pounded on Eve's bedroom door, her headache forgotten.

"Maddie, honey," Eve's voice sounded ragged. "I have a migraine."

"Eve, it's me," Jack called through the door. "Let me in, honey."

"Jack?" Eve replied, worried. "Is Maddie all right?"

"She's fine, Eve. Just a little worried. Open the door for a second so we can see you." He heard movement behind the door.

"I-I can't," Eve sighed. "I don't have the key." Louis had locked her in, Jack was horrified to realize. That couldn't be good.

"Okay, step away from the door then, Eve."

"You can't kick it down!" Maddie shrieked. "Louis will flip out." Jack had no intention of kicking down the door as the excitable teenager assumed, but Eve hurried toward the door at her sister's statement.

"Jack, everything's fine. Please don't worry." Eve leaned heavily against the wall, suddenly dizzy. "Please, Jack." She heard a click as Jack picked the locked. She sunk to the floor and put her head in her hands.

Jack surveyed the room quickly as he opened the door, his police training kicking in. The room was dark with no lights and the shades drawn, so he watched for movement as his eyes adjusted to the light.

"I'm sorry about our coffee, Jack," came Eve's voice from the corner. He saw her stand and waver slightly, but he couldn't make out her face in the dark.

"Eve," Maddie rushed in and stood next to Jack, observing her sister's form in the shadows. "Officer Snyder got me so worried, and I told him about your migraine, and—"

"It's okay, honey," Eve reassured quietly, stepping closer while remaining in the shroud of darkness. "I'm sorry to have worried you. Now hurry on downstairs and don't give this a second thought, okay?

Maddie looked to Jack, who nodded slightly in reassurance. "O…kay," Maddie agreed haltingly before turning and leaving the room.

Once she was gone, Jack trained his full attention on Eve. He strode toward her, and noticed her take an almost imperceptible step back before stopping herself. "I was worried when you didn't show up."

Eve rubbed her temple, her headache intensifying. "I'm sorry, Jack. I should have called. Can we reschedule to Monday?"

He watched her every move intently as she stiffly moved toward the bed, strategically avoiding the light streaming in from the open door. "How is your head feeling?"

Eve sat heavily on the bed and leaned back. He could see her eyes close and reopen through the shadows on her face. "The light makes it worse," she whispered. "But don't worry," she continued, trying to make her voice lighter. "It happens all the time. I'll be fine."

Concerned by her choice of words, Jack pressed her. "What 'happens all the time'?" He sat at the foot of her bed and squeezed her leg supportively through her sweatpants, surprised when she pulled her leg away and hissed in pain.

"My-my headaches," she managed through gritted teeth.

His eyes continuing to adjust to the light, Jack slowly began to realize that the shadows on his friend's face didn't move when she did. He leaned forward and flicked on the lamp on her nightstand to confirm his fears, ignoring Eve's harsh reaction to the light. He gasped at the bruises on her face, and Eve hid in her hands ashamed.

"Did…did _he _do this to you?" he asked accusatorily. Eve jumped at the tone in his voice, pulling her legs into her chest and shaking her head violently.

"No! No," she defended. "When I get migraines, my-my equilibrium goes to hell. I can barely stand. I-I just fell." Even as she was saying it, Eve knew he didn't believe her story.

"How bad is it?" he asked, controlling his tone this time. She began to wave it off, but he stood strong. "How bad?"

She looked into his eyes and found it impossible to be dishonest. "It hasn't been this bad in a while. He's just so stressed out…"

"'In a while'?" Jack choked. "He's done this to you before?"

Eve began to deny it, then stopped and nodded her head miserably. "Don't tell Maddie, please," she whispered. "Or Henry. It would kill them to think—"

"It will kill you if you don't turn Louis in."

At her husband's name, Eve stiffened. "Jack, you-you have to leave. Louis-he'll be home soon. I have to relock the door so he doesn't know and…" as her voice trailed off she realized she was caught. Louis would kill her when he found out from Maddie that Jack had been there. "Do me a favor?" she finally said.

"Anything."

"Get Maddie out of here. I don't want her around when he gets back."

Jack stood up and moved closer to Eve. "You're both coming with me, then," he announced. Eve shook her head in dissent and immediately regretted it, her hand moving to rub her head gingerly. "You really do have a headache?" Jack questioned.

"Yeah," Eve mumbled absently. Her eyes closed and she struggled to open them again. She looked up at Jack but her eyes wouldn't focus. "I—" her eyes threatened to close again, and her head drooped.

Jack sat back down quickly, worried. "Eve," he insisted, tapping her knee.

Eve looked up at him sluggishly. "Jack?" Her mind began to clear again. "Jack! Oh, I'm sorry. I don't-I don't know what happened."

"What happened is that I decided to take you to the hospital," Jack informed her, standing again.

"No, Jack, I'll be fi—" she began.

"Tell me if I hurt you," he interrupted, scooping Eve up in his arms. She grimaced in pain, but obediently remained in Jack's arms. Her eyes threatened to close again, and she leaned her head against his chest.

"I hit," she began slowly, "my head."

"How hard?"

"Pretty hard, I think. I was out for a while."

"Out?" Jack asked nervously. "Like, unconscious?"

"Mm-hmm," Eve mumbled, fading out again. Her eyes shut and she lay limply in his arms.

"Maddie!" he called, rushing down the stairs. "Grab your coat. We're leaving."

"Where are we..?" Maddie's voice trailed off when she saw her sister in the light. She froze for a minute, then sprang into action. "I'll grab one for her, too." She ran out of the room just as Louis entered through the front door.

"What are you doing with my wife?" Louis demanded in a surprising even tone.

"I'm taking her to the hospital," Jack responded just as coolly.

"Like hell you are!" From the other room, Maddie peeked in.

"I can either take her to the hospital or put her down and arrest you for battery." Jack shifted Eve in his arms to expose the badge and gun on his belt.

"She'll come back to me," Louis growled, stepping back toward the door.

"Not if I find you first," Jack replied just as menacing. "Maddie, honey, let's go!" Maddie crept in to the room with the coats, hurrying to Jack's side. "Hand me my gun, hon," he continued, not taking his eyes off Louis. Louis took another step back, and another, before hurrying down the walk. "It's okay, Mad," Jack assured the trembling girl next to him. "Let's go."

END CHAPTER 2

I hope that this doesn't suck a lot...let me know what you think...


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

The entire car ride Maddie was an emotional wreck. Her sister's eyes were closed, but she was restless, struggling against the pain. Jack could sense Maddie's fear, and glanced in the rear-view mirror at the girl. "Eve's going to be fine, kid," he assured as he slid out his phone. "This is Officer Snyder. I'm about nine minutes out; I'm bringing in an" he glanced at Maddie again "injury victim. Female, late twenties. More details when we arrive."

"Jack." Maddie had finally found her voice. "Is she…"

"She going to be fine, honey. How are you?"

"I'm okay. I just—" she was interrupted by her sister's cries.

"No, please, don't. I'm sorry! I…" Eve jerked suddenly, and the pain shocked her back into consciousness. She looked at Jack and then back at Maddie. "Did Louis..?" she trailed off, not wanting to know the answer. "Maddie, are you okay?"

"Yeah, Eve, I'm fine. How are you?" Maddie was feeling less concerned now. Eve was talking, she was alert. She was going to be fine.

"Eh, nothing a couple of aspirin can't fix." She leaned back and closed her eyes. Nudging Jack, she chuckled softly. "Shouldn't we be taking Maddie to school?"

Jack and Maddie looked at her curiously. "Eve, I don't need to go to school."

"C'mon, Maddie, you don't want to end up like your brother, do you? Seriously, Henry, turn the car around."

Henry? Jack glanced at the young girl in the backseat, her face white and her eyes wide. She had realized it, too; Eve wasn't thinking straight. As he pulled into the parking lot of the hospital, he tried to assure the both of them. "We're here, girls. Everything is going to be fine." Eve nodded, her head resting back on the seat and her eyes closed.

"You walk her in, Henry. I'm going to," she paused to take a breath, and Jack worried at how deliberate it sounded. "I'm just going to," she breathed again, coughed weakly, and attempted to continue. "I'm…"

Maddie was out of the car and opening Eve's door before Jack was. She stopped to stare at her sister, who had stopped talking all together and seemed to be very focused on breathing. She began to cough again, more harshly this time, and Jack nudged Maddie out of the way so he could get Eve out of the car. She wheezed and coughed again. "Jack," she whispered.

She was back. Jack and Maddie both sighed with relief. "Yes, darling," he replied, leaning down to her.

"Maddie," she struggled to speak and her eyes began to close again against her will, "she shouldn't," pause again, followed by coughing. Jack began to lift her out of the car and became more concerned with how she was breathing. Eve made eye contact with the man holding her in his arms and conveyed what she meant. _She shouldn't be here for this_. Then she lay her head against his chest and closed her eyes, concentrating on each breath.

"Go tell them we're here," Jack instructed the teenager calmly. Maddie's eyes were on her sister, and he could tell that she was as worried as he was. "Go on, honey. We'll be right there." He looked down at the woman in his arms. "She's gone. We're going to get you help, Eve."

With all the strength she could muster, Eve lifted her head and took to biggest breath she could. "Keep Maddie safe, please," she pleaded with her last ounce of energy before letting go. Then her body went slack in Jack's arms. He looked at her in horror and then broke out into a run, sprinting closer to the doors of the emergency room with a now unconscious woman in his arms.

------------

When Jack ran in, breathless, everyone took notice. A doctor rushed to his side and orderlies brought a gurney and began to slide Eve out of his arms. "She was beaten," Jack began, "by her husband. I don't know the extent of her injuries. She said she was unconscious for a while, and that her head hurt. She was dizzy, and she thought I was her brother." He paused to take a breath, and then remembered, "When we got here, she was having trouble breathing." The doctor nodded and rushed off with Eve down the hall, leaving Jack and Maddie standing there, staring at the swinging doors.

The doctor came to find them two grueling hours later. Maddie had fallen asleep in the waiting room—the combination of worry and boredom sapping the energy out of her in the early afternoon—and was resting on Jack's shoulder. Jack shook her slightly so he could get up, and she muttered in her sleep. "No, Louis. Stop. No." Her voice was small, but it worried Jack greatly. _What is _wrong _with that man? _He murmured to her softly as he shifted out from under her, and she remained asleep.

"Officer Snyder, it says here you brought in Mrs. Browning," the doctor started. "But her next of kin, her husband, is not here?"

"I would prefer if you dealt with me. We have reason to suspect that her husband may not be the best person to help her right now."

The doctor nodded knowingly. "She sustained some serious injuries: some broken bones, a serious concussion, internal bleeding. Honestly, it's a small miracle she made it here." The look on Jack's face made him continue quickly. "But she should be fine. She's asleep now, but we patched her up, and we are rehydrating her now and giving her some medication."

As he spoke, the detective in Jack came out, studying the doctor's every word, every movement, for something that would hint to Eve's true condition. "When can we see her?"

"Soon," the doctor reassured. "Just let her rest for now. You could come back later on this evening, perhaps…"

"I'm not going anywhere."

The doctor continued, "There's really nothing you can do at point. She needs her sleep, and it looks like that girl over there may need some rest as well." Jack followed the doctor's gaze to Maddie. What was he going to do with the teenager while they waited for Eve? Henry! They had to call Henry. He should know where his sisters were. Suddenly, Jack became aware of the doctor in front of him, awaiting an answer. "She'll be all right alone for a little while," the doctor repeated.

"I'd really like to see her before I go." Jack refused to back down. At the consent of the doctor, he continued, "I will be putting an officer at Mrs. Browning's door while I am gone." With that, he turned to Maddie. "I'll be right back," he whispered before disappearing down the hall to Eve's room.

------------

Fifteen minutes later, Maddie woke up with a start. She looked around frantically to take in her surroundings, desperate to figure out where she was. Louis wasn't here, she reassured herself. But she was in a hospital, and he had hurt Eve. She shook her head to clear it before getting up and then wandered down the hall.

She peeked into rooms until she saw it, Officer Snyder holding the hand of…someone, she couldn't see around all the monitors. She moved sluggishly to the doorway, blinking her eyes to confirm what she suspected. There was Eve, a tube down her throat, beeping machines an assurance that she was alive. It barely looked like her sister, bruised and broken, so small-looking on the hospital bed.

Silently, Maddie stood in the doorway, trying to catch her breath. Officer Snyder was still talking to his sister, speaking in hushed tones. She perked up when she heard her name. "…Maddie is so worried about you. She was a wreck in the waiting room. Honestly, so was I. Why didn't you tell me what was going on, that he was hurting you?" Jack took a shaky breath, and jumped when Maddie cleared her throat in the doorway. "Hey, Maddie," he whispered, lowering Eve's hand and walking toward her. "The doctor said she's going to be fine. That was some great help you gave me on the way here."

"Can—can…" Maddie wasn't entirely sure what she was trying to say, but Officer Snyder filled her in.

"Your sister is resting now. They say she will probably wake up this evening, but she will need to be in the hospital for a few days still." Jack wanted desperately to assuage Maddie's fears, but he didn't want to lie to her, either. "Oh, um, Maddie," Jack continued, suddenly remembering. "Do you have Henry's number? I think we should call him and let him know."

"Yes," Maddie confirmed, not taking her eyes off Eve. "I'll call him."

------------

Forty-five minutes later, Henry was rushing down the hall of the hospital, loudly announcing his presence and questioning the whereabouts of his sisters. Jack heard him and, attempting not to wake Eve and Maddie, rushed out of the room to meet him. In a hushed tone, he filled Henry in on what had happened and, in an odd display of friendship and brotherly concern, shared Maddie's half asleep utterings and his fears that Louis had hurt more than just Eve.

"Henry!" Maddie exclaimed, rushing to her brother and rubbing sleep from her eyes. She hugged him tightly before pulling back. "Eve…"

Holding Maddie's hand, Henry walked to his other sister's bedside. Finally getting a good look at Eve, he had to struggle not to physically recoil. Catching his breath, he assured his little sister as best he could. "Eve's going to be fine," he insisted. "We've all been through much worse than this."

Jack hung back, observing the family scene. This was not the first time he had heard a mention of the Colemans' (and Browning, he supposed, since that was Eve's current last name) less-than-idyllic childhood. The fact that Eve had been her teenage sister's legal guardian, and before that Henry's, as well, since she was eighteen was not something that was easy to overlook. And although Maddie and Eve, at least until recently, had seemed well-adjusted, little things that all three of the siblings had done since he met them suddenly began to make sense. They were lucky to have each other, Jack thought.

He wished he knew the details of Eve's life, however bad they were, and could have been there for her, before… But that was that, and now he had to focus on what he could do. He could be there for Eve now, and what she needed the most right now was someone to take on care of her younger siblings until she could again. Placing a supportive hand on Henry's shoulder, he held out an olive branch to the man with whom he had never seen eye to eye. "Henry, let's go grab some food in the cafeteria. Maddie and I can fill you in."

And, with a final look from three people who cared about her so much, Eve was alone.

END CHAPTER 3

Well, there's the next installment...hope it didn't disappoint...


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Maddie crept back into Eve's room as Henry and Jack talked intensely. The men had left her alone so they could have a serious discussion, and Maddie took the opportunity to have some quality time with her still-unconscious sister.

"Eve," she started shakily, taking her hand gingerly to avoid disrupting the tubes and wires. "Oh, this is weird. So, the doctors said you would know I was here if I talked, but they didn't say if you'd know what I was saying." Maddie paused briefly, unsure if she should continue. "I should have known what was going on with you and Louis," she blurted out, her words tumbling from her lips faster than she could think them. "I knew what kind of guy he is, and I never told you anything. Maybe if I had said something… And, I mean, I lived in that house with you for years, and I let him totally fool me. I heard the doctors; this isn't the first time you've gotten hurt by him, and I had no idea! What kind of sister am I?" She was shouting now, unable to control her anger. Who she was angry at, she didn't know. Louis, herself, even, she shuddered to admit while sitting in the hospital room, Eve. "I'm sorry," she sobbed, laying her head on the bed next to Eve. "I hate him so much…"

-----------

Eve was vaguely aware she was no longer at home. There was light around her, and noise. Someone was holding her hand. She took a deep breath and began to choke. Her eyes flew open in fear and confusion. She heard a loud beeping as she struggled to breathe.

Maddie looked up suddenly as the monitors began to wail. Doctors rushed in before she noticed her sister's eyes widen. She ran to Henry and buried her face in his chest as he and Officer Snyder hurried into the room. "Eve," the doctor said steadily. "On the count of three, I want you to breathe out for me. One, two, three!" Maddie had never been so happy to hear Eve cough in her life. Over the explanation from the doctors about Eve fighting her breathing tube, the girl rushed to Eve's side, sobbing openly into her shoulder.

Eve, still coughing violently, managed to gasp out a few hoarse apologies for scaring her little sister before reaching her free arm out for water. Only then did she notice the cast that almost reached her elbow. As Henry offered her sips of room temperature water, she surveyed the room. Maddie was here, and Henry, and Jack… Jack? What was he doing here? Suddenly, it all rushed back to her, her fight with Louis, Jack coming to the house. She wasn't sure how she got here, though, to the hospital.

"Louis," she exclaimed roughly, her eyes growing wide and her body stiffening.

"He's not here," Jack said from the foot of her bed, having hung back to allow her siblings to comfort her. "And he's not going to be here, I promise."

_Oh, my God, _Eve suddenly realized. _They all know. _Trying to find her voice, she attempted to explain away what they were seeing. "I can be some klutz, huh?" she chucked, coughing.

Henry, the most confused of the three about her hiding Louis' behavior (Jack had seen things like this as a police officer, and Maddie had her own experience with secrets), reacted harshly. "Are you kidding me, Eve?" he shouted, causing both of his sisters to jump. "How can you sit there and lie to us, to me?"

Jack grabbed Henry's arm and forcefully dragged him from the room, receiving silent stares from the girls and fervent protests from Henry. Once safely outside, Henry exploded again. "What the hell was that? You're not telling me you believe what she's saying?"

"No," Jack replied, attempting to stay calm. "But we can't shout at her right now. Eve, and Maddie, have been though an ordeal, and we need to stay calm and not push them."

"I know," Henry said, breathing slowly to calm his racing heart. "You don't understand. Jack. Me and Eve, it was always us against everything, you know. Our older sister was so much older growing up, and Maddie was so young. The two of us took care of her. Hell, Eve took care of me. It's just killing me to see her in there like that, and I didn't do anything to stop it."

Jack nodded and led Henry to sit down. "I understand. When I found her this morning, I…" he paused, unable to express the horror of the day. "I care about your sister a lot, Henry. I want you to know that."

Whether it was the stress of the moment or his temporary position as the responsible sibling, Henry didn't explode at Jack like he would have normally. Studying the detective's face, he finally allowed, "You really do, don't you? Care about her, I mean?"

"Yeah, I really do," Jack said, still surprised by the strength of his feelings. But he didn't have the luxury of thinking about himself now. He forced his cop side to take over so he would be able to be strong for them. "There are two very frightened women in that room, Henry, and we need to be there to help them. I know it'll be hard, but we can't attack Eve, no matter what she says or how she acts right now. For however long she's been hiding this, it's been her life, and we can't expect her to turn on a dime right now."

"You think Louis has been…this has been going on for a while?" Henry stumbled, unable to say the words.

"I don't know," Jack answered softly. "We'll just have to be there for her until she can tell us." As he said the words, he knew he would be there for her with everything he had, and hoped more than anything she would him.

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Back in the hospital room, the doctors has physically moved Maddie away so they could examine the patient. "How are you feeling? Any pain?"

Eve considered the question. It wasn't until they asked that she noticed the express absence of physical pain she was experiencing. "No, none," she responded, assuming they weren't asking about how it felt to look into Maddie's eyes or see Henry's betrayed expression. She thought of Jack then, how understanding but strong he had been at the house, how when she looked in his eyes she felt safe, something she hadn't felt in years, if ever.

"Mrs. Browning," she was interrupted from her thoughts by the impatient doctor. "Take a deep breath in for me." She obliged. "Now hold it. And breathe out."

Eve's side felt funny, though due to the obviously copious amounts of medication she wasn't in pain. "Are my ribs..?"

"You broke three ribs on your left side, that's how you punctured your lung," the doctor replied flatly, not bothering to ease her into the extent of her injuries.

Noticing Maddie's reaction, Eve stopped asking questions of the doctor. She followed his directives until he left the room, and then held out her good arm. "Come here, honey," she suggested.

Maddie ran to the bed and sat down, putting her head on Eve's stomach. Eve stroked her head softly, like she used to do when they were little and Maddie would hide in her bedroom. "It's okay," she crooned quietly. "It's all going to be okay." Eve's mind began to wander to Jack, but a whimper from Maddie quickly snapped her out of it. She couldn't think about Jack right now, she had to think about her family. They needed her.

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Well, that's it for now...hope you enjoy!!


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

"Hey," Jack called softly, tapping on the door frame.

Eve jumped then recomposed herself, smiling at the man in the doorway. "Hey," she replied.

Jack strolled in as calmly as he could, trying to slow his racing heart. Her smile had made him forget how to act. "How are you feeling?" he finally uttered, anything more creative escaping him.

"Oh, fine, thanks," Eve rushed. "A little embarrassed. I wish they'd let me go home."

Jack took her hand in his gingerly, looking up at her to check he wasn't hurting her and then quickly averting his eyes, drumming up the courage to say what he came to say.

"Are _you _okay?" Eve asked, confused by his odd behavior. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable in the silence, something she rarely felt when with Jack.

"Yeah, yeah," he replied, taking a deep breath. "You scared me. A lot."

"Oh!" Eve reacted stiffly. "I—I apologize. I didn't mean…"

"No, no," Jack was quick to soothe her fear. "When you didn't show up at Java, and then at your house… I was so afraid for you." Eve opened her mouth to respond, but Jack shook his head. He needed to continue his thought. He needed to tell her.

Eve waited patiently for him to speak again. She was terrified of what he was going to say. Not the kind of fear she felt around Louis—she knew that Jack wouldn't yell at her or make her feel worthless or hurt her—a fear that whatever he had to say would be the end of what they had. She loved how she felt when she was around him, free, happy, safe. She loved how he looked at her. She loved how he would take her hand or nudge her, and she loved the electric feeling that coursed through her when he did. She was a married woman, they both knew that, but the relationship she felt with him went beyond silly feelings that ruined otherwise happy marriages. Jack actually cared about her, and that warmed her heart and made her feel light and strong. She didn't know what she would do if everything that happened had changed how he looked at her, if she was never able to feel that way again.

Jack finally found his voice. "I want you to know that I am so happy I have gotten a chance to get to know you. You have been such a good friend to me, and I have enjoyed all of the time we have gotten to spend together."

This is what Eve had been afraid of. "I understand that everything has changed," she rushed, trying to save both of them the pain of his words. "I get it. I appreciate you having been there for me, Officer Snyder."

"No, Eve, please," Jack was beginning to feel desperate. His words weren't coming out right. "Nothing has changed. That's what I want you to know. This probably isn't the right time to be talking to you about this, but I wanted you to know how much I cared about you, how much I _still _care about you."

The breath Eve hadn't been aware she was holding escaped from her lips. He still cared about her. She hadn't ruined it.

"That's all I wanted to say," Jack concluded, wondering if she understood what he had been trying to tell her. "I want to be here for you however you want me to. I'll stay away if you need me to, but I just wanted you to know I'm here." He let go of her hand and began to rise from the chair. Eve wasn't responding, and Jack worried he had taken things too far. "All right, umm, I guess…" he stammered, making his way for the door.

_Why aren't you saying anything_, Eve screamed to herself as Jack stood up to leave. Reaching out to his retreating form, she finally formed the words, "Jack, wait." He froze in his step and turned to look at her, tilting his head to the side slightly. She wiggled her fingers in a request for him to come back, and as he took her hand again a tear fell down her cheek. "Thank you."

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So, there's the next installment. Hope it satisfies...

To the people who have been loyally reviewing, thank you so much. I have never done this before, and your support is amazing. I really appreciate it. Thanks.


	6. Chapter 6

I am trying to continue this story because of a very kind request. I am having trouble getting back into the flow, though, so I am apologizing in advance. Please feel free to rip this apart, and, of course, give your comments on what you think should happen next.

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A few days later, Eve was being released from the hospital. The doctor had demanded she take it easy, but, other than that, she was ready to re-enter life. Eve didn't know how she felt about leaving the hospital. On the one hand, she had always hated places like this: the foreign surroundings, the complete lack of privacy, the reasons that usually brought someone here. But she couldn't help but appreciate how nice it had been to have a constant stream of company, and people whose job it was to keep Louis far away from her. She felt safe for the first time in a long time, especially when Jack was around.

Jack was this…force. He had been so strong this whole time. She loved how she felt when he was around. Happy and free and loved; not feelings her husband was able to stir in her anymore. And she especially loved how Maddie opened up when he was around. The three of them had spent a lot of time together since she had been admitted, and she was seeing a side of her sister she had not seen in a long time. Henry still saw this side of her, he insisted, but she was reminded of the carefree child whose loss she had likened to adolescence. Now, seeing her banter playfully with Jack, she allowed herself to consider that maybe the loving child Maddie used to be hadn't simply matured; maybe, she was horrified to think, that side of her sister had been forced away just as her happiness had.

"Eve! You with us?" Jack's voice shook her from her thoughts. He and Henry had both come into the room at some point, and were now patiently waiting for her to respond, her bags collected in their arms.

"Oh, yes, and boy am I ready to go," she forced a smile across her face, and both men kindly ignored it. Before heading to Henry's hotel room (where she and Maddie would be staying for the time being), Eve was going to have to go to the police station to file for a temporary restraining order until the hearing. Jack and Henry had, thankfully, filled out all the paperwork they could, but she had to physically be there to file the injunction.

Rushing to help her as Eve struggled to sit up, Henry slid her crutches securely under her arms and put his arm on her back to assist her in standing. He then moved away and took the bags from Jack, allowing this new suitor for his sister to aid her in hobbling down the hall. He watched from behind as Jack attended Eve, shocking himself with how unfazed he now was by their behavior. Sometime in the short while she had been in the hospital, Henry had seen something good in the officer. Actually, he hadn't seen any change in Snyder; the difference was in his big sister. She smiled and laughed (as much as her injured ribs would let her). For the first time in a long time, he was able to watch her make a joke without freezing at the punch line to check for reactions. He watched Jack sit close to her without her shrinking away. He watched her talk without dropping her eyes in some confused idea of respect. His sister was coming back, and for whatever part his former nemesis played in her transformation, he was grateful.

Jack and Eve made idle conversation on the way to the police station. She felt comfort in his touch, so he made sure to keep his hand lightly on her knee as he maneuvered the familiar path to the station. He knew how nervous she was, but he had long since stopped trying to explain the process to her. Eve was a smart woman—she knew what was going to happen—she was simply nervous.

"Oh, my, I practically forgot what the sun felt like," Eve chuckled shakily. She trusted Jack, she did, but she knew Louis better than anyone, and she felt like everyone was underestimating him.

"Once you are healed up," Jack replied, "we can all go for a weekend at the beach."

"Maddie would love that!" Eve smiled, knowing that her sister would be invited as well.

"Yes, and I will get to see you in a bikini, I assume?" Jack worried that his comment would be taking it too far, that Eve would shut down, but she didn't even hear him.

"Hmm," Eve was distracted now as they approached the station. It was all going to start now, and Louis would not be happy.

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That is it for now. Hope it isn't too much of a disappointment...


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